Ahhh, the Holidays…… The Thanksgiving turkey comes out of the oven
golden brown, with an enticing aroma that fills the entire house. All the
china is in pristine condition and not a single piece in the set is
missing. The family is gathered for holiday pictures, the children are
poised perfectly; hands to themselves, not a hair out of place and their
smiles are shining brightly for the camera. Then just as the photographer
is about to capture the shot… you wake up!

Let's be realistic ladies. Without proper planning, the holidays are
anything but a holiday. Just look at the list of things that need to be
done: Shopping, cooking, cleaning, decorating, sending holiday mail, the
list goes on and on.

Let me clue you all in on a few key questions that you should ask
yourself in order to have a holiday season free of stress and worry, and
instead filled with fun and laughter:

What types of holiday celebrations do you want? For example: Do you
want to have an immediate family only holiday affair or an extravaganza
including immediate and extended family plus a few friends? Once you've
thought everything through and decided on the type of holiday gathering
you would like, you can then start making your plans.

If you are ready to get a head start on organizing yourself, your
family and your holiday check lists, then keep reading:

Holiday Cards: Start early! I use a holiday card list that I derive
from saving names and addresses from holiday cards my family has received
in past years. I created a simple, computerized list that is easy to edit
and print onto address labels. Be sure to stock up on stamps so that when
you have your cards signed, stuffed and addressed you can affix a stamp to
them and make one, simple trip to the Post Office.

Holiday Gifts: There's nothing like getting a HUGE credit card bill in
the mail at the start of the New Year. Many of us tend to want to be
generous when shopping for holiday gifts. While your generosity will be
appreciated at gift giving time, keep in mind that it is very easy to
succumb to "impulse buying" and go all out on your holiday shopping. While
your intentions may be good, your pocketbook may be singing a different
song. Set a budget and stick to it – your bank account will thank you for
it after the start of the New Year.

Wrap it up: Wrap your gifts and place nametags on them immediately
after you bring them home, then store the gifts in a secure spot. This
will cut down on those late night wrapping sessions that I am sure we ALL
have experienced a few times, if not every year.

Baking & cooking: If you will be cooking during the holidays, it is
important to plan your meals ahead of time. Be sure to stock up ahead of
time on all the necessary non-perishable baking ingredients such as flour,
sugar and spices. Create a list of your holiday menus and a list of the
ingredients you will need to prepare each of those meals. Also, try to
think of a few dishes that can be prepared ahead of time and then frozen
as an extra timesaving measure

Delegate: This is one of my favorite tips. Be sure to enlist the help
of your family or friends. Sit down and discuss what needs to be done then
ask for volunteers. If no hands are raised, simply assign small tasks to
each of them. Whether it is arranging for a babysitter so that you can
escape for a child free day of shopping, passing the shopping list onto
another family member or friend so that they can pick up the items for
you, or letting the children decorate your home. Be sure to get the whole
family involved in the holiday preparations so that you will not be
overwhelmed.

Enjoy: Whatever you decide to do, remember to relax and enjoy yourself.
You and your family will have much fonder memories of this holiday season
if you are not spending it pulling your hair out.